


A simple flood is all

by IWantToRemainASecret



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: Cuddling, Hugging, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23850700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWantToRemainASecret/pseuds/IWantToRemainASecret
Summary: Snufkin's tent got flooded. Sort of.
Relationships: Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snusmumriken | Snufkin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 105





	A simple flood is all

It was a peaceful, quiet night. Full of undistrubed slumber and sweet dreams. Moomintroll was all tucked up in his bed, blankets pulled over his snout as he rested in a sleep almost as deep as his winter hibernation. The spring birds tweeted outside, leaves wavering ever so slightly.

And if you listened closely enough, you could hear the sound of boots on rickety wood.

Moomintroll felt himself stumble into consciousness, eyes blinking blearily as he slowly recognised the moonlight illuminating his bedroom. He heard knocking, it couldn't be tree branches because it had a pattern. A familiar pattern, almost. Moomintroll tilted his head to the window and took note of the little hand knocking gently, the other hand was gripping so tightly to the window sill the knuckles looked white. Immediately Moomintroll rushed to the window and opened it up.

"Snufkin? Whatever are you doing here at this time of night?" He asked, worry in his tone despite his attempts to keep it light. The brunette climbed in slowly, hat covering his face and expression.

He didn't say anything.

"Snufkin?" Moomintroll said quietly, he reached out for Snufkins arm and was shocked as Snufkin grabbed Moomintroll's wrist with a vice grip. "Oh! Are you alright?" Snufkin looked up at Moomintroll, eyelids heavy and face wet.

"Snufkin!" Moomintroll exclaimed, reaching out for him yet again, "Were you cryi-"

"Flooded." Snufkin spoke, cutting through the tension in the air.

"What?"

"My... tent. It was flooded, the stream washed me away. Can't sleep there at all tonight, had to hang it out to dry. I was hoping I could stay here, just for the night of course." He cleared his throat, eyes looking anywhere but Moomin's face, they rested on the wrist he still gripped. His finger tapped to a beat Moomintroll didn't recognise.

"Oh goodness! That's, well that's horrible! And in the middle of spring?"

"Yes. It was most surprising. Like most things in life are." Snufkin responded, seeming to avoid expanding his nighttime story.

Moomintroll decided to ignore how Snufkin's clothes were completely dry, or how he could see his tent from his window or how he refused to let go of him despite how often he had avoided giving the Moomin a hug in greeting of nearly all occasions. Instead, he decided to use this situation as a way to repay his friend for everything he had given him.

"Of course you can stay the night Snufkin," He said in a softer tone of voice, for his parents were still sleeping... obviously. "I'll get the bed nice for you and get the couch downstairs"

"No!" Snufkin released Moomin as he stumbled to stop him from leaving to execute his plan. "No..." He cleared his throat again, cheeks glimmering in the moonlight. "I think that could wake your parents. The smartest solution would be to simply share your bed, is that alright?"

Moomintroll blinked slowly at his best friend, amazed that it was HIM posing this. He thought he would hate sharing a bed.

"Oh, of course! Silly me hehe... Yes let's just hop back in, we can have pancakes for breakfast." Moomintroll smiled, shutting the window and climbing into his bed, shifting to the edge and patting a spot for Snufkin. Snufkin smiled lightly, taking off his boots and hat before climbing in. He sighed with relief as soon as the blankets covered him.

"Cold from the flood?" Moominkin asked curiously.

"Flood? Oh yes! Yes just a bit." Snufkin mumbled, settling in nicely.

"Alright, do you want to go to sleep right away?" Moomintroll asked, eyelids feeling as if anvils weighed them now.

Snufkin smiled at Moomintroll's obviously tired face and whispered "I think that would be best, yes."

"See you in the morning Snufkin, goodnight." Moomintroll whispered back.

"Goodnight Moomin." Snufkin whispered, a softness in his voice. Even as Moomintroll shut his eyes, Snufkin kept his wide open, watching him in his peripheral.

Despite Moomintroll's tiredness, he found that he was tired enough to rest, but not enough to sleep. He wanted to, but the confusing situation of Snufkin appearing in his room and now in his bed was boggling. Was he alright? He had been crying, why? Did he have a nightmare? Moomintroll would have understood that, he needn't hide it. But what could he possibly have a nightmare about? He didn't believe in monsters and found all real creatures to be just misunderstood.

Moomintroll lay awake with his eyes shut for around forty minutes, trying to stay as still as he could as to not disturb Snufkin. He evened his breathing and tried counting sheep, nothing was working. He gave up and just decided that trying to go to sleep would be more effort then letting sleep take him with due time. As he mulled over his current situation he heard shuffling besides him and felt himself becoming more alert.

"Moomintroll, are you still awake?" Snufkin whispered, a lot closer than prior. Moomintroll wondered if he was keeping Snufkin awake with all his pondering, he was ready to respond and apologise that he was keeping him up when he noticed Snufkin move closer.

"Good." Snufkin said simply before snaking his arms around him in a hug and holding him tightly, he let out a sigh of relief. Moomintroll snapped his eyes open in surprise and looked at Snufkin, even more surprised to see him smiling contently, eyes shut.

Moomintroll hugged back, letting sleep take him.

\---

Moomintroll woke up to shuffling and rolled over to see his arms empty and side left cold, Snufkin sat on the edge of the bed, hair messy yet effortlessly beautiful. He looked out Moomintroll's window which streamed with early morning light.

"Good morning Moomintroll." He smiled, turning his head to meet Moomintroll's gaze.

"Oh, morning Snufkin, sleep well?"

Snufkin just chuckled as a response, "Better than I would have alone." He settled with.

"Are you going to tell me what really happened last night, or shall we leave it at the tent flooding?" Moomintroll dared to ask.

Snufkin frowned, Moomintroll regretted his choices. He looked so happy before. "I mean it did flood, why would I doubt you? I'm sorry I was-"

"I had a nightmare." Snufkin stated bluntly.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I hope I helped."

"You did. In my dream you..." He took a shaky breath and rolled back under the covers to stare Moomintroll in the eye. "Moomin, what is your greatest fear?"

Moomintroll let his mind whir for an answer. "I suppose, losing my family or... you leaving and never coming back." He admitted.

Snufkin smiled slightly. "Yes well, mine is similar to both of yours."

"Oh?"

"Mine is leaving and coming back to you being gone, for good."

Moomintroll stiffened, placing his hand on Snufkin's shoulder. "Snufkin. Don't you worry, I'd never be gone! I sleep all winter, there isn't any danger I could get into that would ever hurt me when I am here. That will never happen, alright?"

Snufkin nodded, he held Moomintroll's wrist on the hand that held his shoulder. "In my dream..." He started, thumb pressing into the inside of his wrist. "You died. And you died thinking I would have never come back for you. I came here, excited to see you again, and you were gone. I could have saved you if I had known, but I had no way of knowing till I arrived. It was horrible."

Moomintroll pulled Snufkin closer, hugging him tightly. "I'm here Snufkin. I'm not dead. Don't you think for a second that any of that could happen, okay? When I am old enough to adventure, I'll be sending birds to track you down and deliver letters so you are never worried about me. I'm careful. I'm alive."

"I know you are, I can feel it." Snufkin whispered, finally letting go of his wrist and hugging him back. "It didn't make the dream any less real though."

The door opened and the boys instantly looked to the doorway with fear.

"Morning Moomintroll- Oh, and good morning Snufkin, did you have a good sleep?" Moominmama asked with a warming smile.

"Yes miss, very much so." Snufkin responded, arms still coiled around the young Moomin.

"Good to hear, I'll be making pancakes. Come down soon, won't you boys?" She offered, the two nodded hastily.

"'Boys'?" A voice called, slipping into the room. "Last I heard we had only one." Little My walked in with her usual smug expression before smirking as she eyed the two boys. "And what on earth are you doing here Snufkin? I didn't think you were the hugging type."

"His tent flooded, so he came here. And uh, I'm a cuddler when I sleep. Sorry Snufkin!" Moomintroll moved away, hoping his lie was good enough for Little My. He wanted to preserve Snufkin's reputation.

"Doesn't bother me. And Little My, I'm only the hugging type with certain people. You just happen to be a few steps below on that ladder of friendship." Snufkin chuckled.

"Why you! Whatever, longer you two take the more pancakes I can eat." Little My stomped off, Moominmama shutting the door quietly behind her.

The boys stared at the door for a few more seconds before sighing and getting up, Snufkin put his hat and boots back on, lacing them silently.

"Moomintroll?"

"Yes?" He asked calmly as he climbed out of bed and stretched.

"I'd never leave for the winter and never come back, I'd tell you if I planned to leave for longer. And I don't plan on it anytime soon."

Moomintroll tried to keep a cool appearance but ended up smiling brightly. "I'm glad."


End file.
